DIY Paper Mache Standing Snowman

       Crafting snowmen is a semi-annual event in my home. This is one of the easiest Christmas crafts and also folks are usually very happy with the results. Both adults and children can accomplish the craft with marvelous results.

       It is best to produce this craft during warm to hot and dry conditions. This is because paper mache clay dries quickest without molding during the summer. 

       You may actually produce snowman figures in stages. This is very convenient for those of you who produce crafts in bulk for Christmas fairs/events. Many years ago I crushed and masked snowmen during the cold and wet seasons and then applied the pulp later during the spring and summer.

 

Left, the finished front of my snowman. Right, the finished back of my snowman.

 

Select your bottle carefully. Use glass
only, if you are making a snowman
for sale at a craft fair or if you are 
selling this product from a shop of 
some sort.

Supplies Needed:

• paper mache clay (comes in grey or white)
• masking tape, very sticky kind
• a glass bottle in (especially in Winter)
• acrylic paints only
• novelties (tiny tress, wreaths etc...)
• fabric for trims (scraves, hats etc...)
• acrylic sealer or Mod Podge
• felt for bottom of the figure
• white school glue (liquid)
• translucent glitter (optional)
• Gesso (optional)

       Be mindful in selecting your glass container. You want this bottle to be heavier on the bottom than the top. The bottle should also have a flat, stable bottom. Often I have people ask if they might use a plastic bottle. This comes with added complications: plastic bottles must be stuffed with rocks or sand and then with paper on top of this in order to achieve weighted bottoms and if you should store figures in hot attics the plastic could crack or melt. Finer work, in my opinion should always be done over glass instead of plastic for these reasons but, if you are teaching a classroom of kids to make these snowmen, plastic bottles could be used for safety's sake. 

       Under these circumstances, it may be best for the teacher to 'weight' the bottles in advance of the project. Kids can get fascinated with this process to the point of slowing down the craft event too much. Make sure that you save the bottle caps so that you may permanently seal the bottles. Add a bit of glue to the inside of the caps and screw these back on to the bottles allowing dry time before handing them out to a classroom full of enthusiastic sculptors.

       Now, if you are crafting for a fair use the glass bottle, but do not select a bottle that is too large or wide. In time, paper mache crafters discover that a narrow bottle is best. This is because you will be crushing paper on top of the bottle's surface and the less of it there is, the more advantageous it is to shape a fluid looking figure. 

 

Left, details added to this snowman like a raccoon seated on his hat and
greenery in his fist help  to give him a personality.

 Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Clean the bottle you will be using and let it dry out completely.
2. Weight the bottom of the bottle with sand or gravel and then seal the top.
3. Crush newsprint or recycled paper around the bottle, excluding the bottom, in the shape of your snowman.
4. Use masking tape to cover the surface entirely, including the bottom.
5. Prepare the paper pulp according to the instructions printed on the package.
6. Sculpt the pulp around the figure in an even thick surface, excluding the bottom. Let the pulp dry completely. This could take one day in the summer sun or even a week in winter near a heating vent. 
7. Attach the novelties to the dry pulp with hot glue, wood glue or white school glue. The glue dictated here is dependent on the type of surfaces you are gluing against each other. Read the labels to make correct choices.
8. If you are a professional folk artist, at this point you should apply a Gesso sealer, for durability sake. If you are a school teacher doing this craft with little ones, you may apply a cheap white paint of some sort. (Read labels make sure that this paint doesn't include lead.)
9. Now paint the snowman's features with acrylic paints. Let dry. Do not use watercolors, these fade too fast. Do not use oil based paints for these breath, are toxic and should only be used for artworks that hang on the wall and that children or infants will not put in their mouths.
10. Seal the snowman with a Mod Podge if you are a teacher. If you are a professional artisan, seal it with a coating or two or three of acrylic, non-yellowing varnish for white snow people. If you prefer that "primitive" look as did I for this snowman, apply a wood varnish for an antique looking color.
11. Glue felt on the bottom of the figure to protect surfaces from scratching.
12. Apply white school glue and glitter at the end if desired. Let dry and display.

 Read About Materials Used for The Project:

• 7 Basic Methods for Crafting With Papier-Mâché